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We act as your Employer of Record in South Korea. This country, a technologically advanced economy, offers significant opportunities for businesses looking to tap into the Asian market.Â
However, navigating its complex legal landscape can be daunting. An Employer of Record (EOR) in South Korea can simplify this process, ensuring compliance with local regulations.
Want to have a Team in South Korea TODAY?
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While establishing a subsidiary in South Korea is a traditional approach to expansion, partnering with an Employer of Record offers several key benefits:
The Advantage in Figures
PEO/EOR
Company Incorporation
Price
80% Less Expensive
Market Entry
2-5 Days
6 Months
Efficient Market Entry
A South Korean Employer of Record allows you to enter the South Korean market swiftly without the need for setting up a local subsidiary, accelerating your market entry process.
Regulatory Compliance
The Employer of Record ensures full compliance with South Korea’s complex labor laws, including those related to taxes, employment contracts, and employee rights, reducing the risk of non-compliance.
Local Talent Acquisition
The Employer of Record helps recruit and manage local employees, providing you with access to top talent in South Korea and handling all aspects of employment.
Reduced Costs
By partnering with a South Korean Employer of Record, you avoid the high costs of establishing a local entity. The Employer of Record manages payroll, benefits, and HR tasks, enabling you to focus on strategic growth.
Scalability and Flexibility
An Employer of Record offers the flexibility to scale your operations according to market conditions without the long-term commitment of setting up a local entity, allowing for greater agility.
We provide a simple setup process to get you started in Australia as quickly as possible.Â
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Step 1 – Thorough Planning & Assessment
Collaborating with a South Korean Employer of Record, like INS Global, begins with a detailed consultation to align with your business objectives. This includes assessing the number of employees, defining their roles, and establishing a timeline for your expansion.
The Employer of Record tailors its services to match your needs, ensuring a smooth integration process in South Korea.
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Step 2 – Efficient Setup, Recruitment & Onboarding
Whether you’re creating a new team in South Korea or transferring existing personnel, the Employer of Record manages all legal and regulatory obligations.Â
This includes handling visas, work permits, payroll, contract administration, and ensuring compliance with South Korean labor laws. Acting as your legal employer in South Korea, the Employer of Record allows you to bypass the need to establish a local entity, saving both time and resources.
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Step 3 – Ongoing HR Management & Compliance
Once your employees are active in South Korea, the Employer of Record handles ongoing HR and payroll tasks. This includes processing salaries, managing employee benefits, and ensuring compliance with health insurance and social security requirements.Â
The Employer of Record serves as the HR liaison between you and your South Korean team, managing administrative responsibilities and addressing employee concerns, enabling you to focus on your business growth.
Choosing the right Employer of Record in South Korea is crucial for a successful market entry. Keep these considerations in mind:
Check Our Labor Law Guides
In South Korea, employment contracts are a legal requirement and must clearly outline the terms of employment, including job duties, working hours, salary, and conditions for termination. These contracts can be either fixed-term or indefinite-term, with the latter providing more job security. The Labor Standards Act (LSA) governs these contracts, ensuring that they comply with minimum standards set by law. In case of any dispute, the LSA provisions take precedence over any contractual terms. Written contracts are essential, especially since labor disputes related to unfair dismissal or wage issues are not uncommon in South Korea, where over 75% of workers are employed under indefinite-term contracts.
Probationary Periods
South Korean labor law allows for probationary periods, typically lasting 3-6 months, during which an employer can assess an employee’s performance and suitability. During this period, termination is easier, but employees still have basic legal protections under the LSA, such as protection against unfair dismissal. If an employee is dismissed during probation, employers must provide clear reasons for termination. Probationary periods are widely practiced, particularly in industries like manufacturing and services, where assessing a worker’s capabilities before granting permanent status is critical.
Working Hours
In South Korea, standard working hours are set at 40 hours per week, with a maximum of 52 hours, including overtime, as per the 2018 revisions to the Labor Standards Act. Overtime is compensated at 150% of the regular wage, and employers are required to provide an 11-hour rest period between shifts. South Korea has one of the longest average working hours among OECD countries, although recent reforms aim to reduce excessive work hours to improve work-life balance. Despite these efforts, many workers in sectors like finance, IT, and manufacturing continue to report high levels of overtime.
Paid Leave
South Korean labor law provides employees with various forms of paid leave, including annual leave, sick leave, and parental leave. Employees are entitled to 15 days of paid annual leave after a year of service, with additional days added for longer tenure. Sick leave is not universally mandated, but employees can often use their annual leave for this purpose. Maternity leave is set at 90 days, with the government subsidizing a portion of the wages during this period. In 2022, South Korea also enhanced its paternity leave policy, granting fathers up to 10 days of paid leave, reflecting a growing emphasis on work-life balance.
Social Insurance
South Korea’s social insurance system, administered by the National Pension Service (NPS) and other bodies, covers health insurance, pension, employment insurance, and industrial accident compensation. Both employees and employers contribute to these programs, with a total contribution of about 9% of an employee’s salary for the National Pension and around 7.65% for health insurance. As of 2023, the system covers over 95% of the workforce, providing essential social security benefits such as retirement pensions, medical care, and unemployment benefits. The social insurance system is a critical component of South Korea’s welfare state, helping to reduce income inequality and poverty among retirees and the unemployed.
Severance Pay
In South Korea, severance pay is a mandatory benefit for employees who have worked for at least 1 year under the Retirement Benefit Guarantee Act. The standard severance pay amounts to one month’s salary for each year of service. This payment must be made within 14 days of termination, regardless of the reason for leaving, whether it’s resignation or dismissal. Approximately 85% of South Korean workers are entitled to severance pay, which serves as a critical financial safety net, particularly in an economy with significant job market fluctuations. The severance pay system is a key aspect of employee rights, contributing to long-term financial security for the workforce.
Handling these complexities is often time-consuming and requires staying informed about legal shifts. Working with an Employer of Record in South Korea allows you to have a local legal partner, ensuring compliance with labor laws and reducing the risk of legal issues.
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faqs
An Employer of Record in South Korea takes on all legal, HR, and compliance responsibilities, enabling businesses to penetrate the South Korean market swiftly without setting up a local entity.
Engaging an Employer of Record in South Korea is often more cost-efficient than establishing a local subsidiary, as it sidesteps initial setup costs and reduces ongoing administrative expenditures.
Yes, a South Korean Employer of Record manages the visa and work permit application process, ensuring all procedures comply with local immigration laws.
Employer of Record services in South Korea are beneficial for companies of all sizes, especially those seeking swift market entry, cost-effectiveness, and minimized administrative responsibilities.
South Korean Employer of Records have local experts who stay informed about regulatory updates and manage all compliance tasks to ensure adherence to local labor laws.
Although the Employer of Record is the legal employer, you retain substantial authority over daily management and operational decisions related to your employees.
A Global Employer of Record is an effective solutions for companies like yours that are looking to expand a workforce abroad effortlessly.
This approach allows you to outsource the international hiring process quickly and efficiency, providing access to a global talent pool while still managing payroll compliance in each country.
Level 39, Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 2, 10 Marina Boulevard
Singapore 018983ÂPublic Holidays Calendar
South Korea
| Date | Day | Holiday | Notes |
| January 1 | Wednesday | New Year’s Day | Start of the Gregorian calendar year |
| January 27 | Monday | Seollal Holiday | Part of the Korean Lunar New Year celebrations |
| January 28 | Tuesday | Seollal Holiday | Part of the Korean Lunar New Year celebrations |
| January 29 | Wednesday | Seollal (Korean New Year) | Main day of the Korean Lunar New Year |
| January 30 | Thursday | Seollal Holiday | Part of the Korean Lunar New Year celebrations |
| March 1 | Saturday | Independence Movement Day | Commemorates the 1919 independence movement against Japanese rule |
| May 5 | Monday | Children’s Day | Celebrates and honors children |
| May 5 | Monday | Buddha’s Birthday | Celebrates the birth of Buddha; 8th day of the 4th lunar month |
| June 6 | Friday | Memorial Day | Honors those who died during the Korean War and other conflicts |
| August 15 | Friday | Liberation Day | Marks the liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1945 |
| October 3 | Friday | National Foundation Day | Celebrates the founding of the Korean nation in 2333 BC |
| October 5 | Sunday | Chuseok Holiday | Day before Chuseok (Korean Harvest Festival) |
| October 6 | Monday | Chuseok | Main day of the Korean Harvest Festival |
| October 7 | Tuesday | Chuseok Holiday | Day after Chuseok (Korean Harvest Festival) |
| October 9 | Thursday | Hangeul Day | Commemorates the creation of the Korean alphabet in 1446 |
| December 25 | Thursday | Christmas Day | Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ |
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